Bowling pin handling mechanism



Dec. 24,1957 G. A. MONTOOTH 2,8 75

BOWLING PIN HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 24, 1957 G. A. MONTOOTH ,8

v BOWLING PIN HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

F V GeogecZ l2 v I 1w I g United States Patent "BOWLING PIN HANDLING MECHANISM George A. 'Montooth, Long Beach, Calif., assignorto The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a corporation of Delaware "Application September 7, 1955, Serial No. 532,822

7 Glaims. (Cl. 273-42) This invention relates to bowling pin handling mechanism and, more particularly, to bowling pin. pick-up mechanism having scissors-type pick-up arms and means to causemovement of the arms.

An object of the invention is .to provide anew and improved scissors-type bowlingpin handling mechanism.

It'is another object of the inven tion'to provide bowling pin handlingmechanism of the scissors-type wherein each pair ofpin pick-up arms has associated therewith linkage mechanism for causing opening and closing movement of'the pick up arms for handling pins standing on either on-spot or off-spot locations on a bowling alley.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a pin lpick-up mechanism including a deck structure, at least fone pair of pin .pick up armspivotally mounted on the deckstructurefor movement about a common axis, a

pair of links, onepivotally connected to each of the pickup 'arms, an actuating member pivotally connected to both of theilinks, and a' force. applying membenmovably mounted on-the' deck structure and pivotally connected to the actuating'member so that movement of the force applying member is transmitted through the actuating member and the links to elfect pivotal movement of the pick-up arms about their commonaxis.

A further object is to provide, in a pinpick-up mechanism, a deck, a pair of pin picloup arms pivotally mounted on'the deck for movement about a common axisnormal to the plane 'of'the -deck,a first link having oneend pivotally connected eccentrically to one of the arms,-a second link having one "end pivotally 1 connected e'ccentrically "to 'the other pick-up arm, a force applying member "mounted on thedeck for reciprocal movement-toward aridaway from the common axis-in a plane para-llel to the deck, and an actuatinglever having its mid-portion pivotally mounted on the force applying member forbodily movement thereby and for pivotal'movementrelative thereto about an axis normal to the plane of the deck,

the links extending in generally parallel directions'from thearms toward the lever and havingtheir freeends piv- "otally connected respectively to the opposite ends of the lever so that'motion ofthe force applying member is transmittedthrough the lever and the links to effect piv- "otal movement of the pick-up arms, bodily movement of theactuatinglever providing equal converging movements ofithe'pick-up arms about their common axis to close on anon-spot,pin, thepivotal mounting of theactuating lever ermittin une ual convergin movementspfthc pick-up arrns to closeon an off-spot pin.

Afurther object isto provide a bowling pin handling mechanism for picking up and replacing bowling pins in on-spot or off-spot positions on a bowling alley; including a deck structure formed by rigidly connected lower andupper grids, means defining a plurality of rectangular pin openings in the'lower grid, pressureplates supported onthe upper grid over the pinqopenings to engagethetops of pins standing on the alleyfbed, a pinrality of pairs of scissors-type pin'pick-jup'arms of the character described associated withthe"openingsinthe 2,8115%? -Pat ente d Dec. 24,. 1957 lower grid, there being two pairs of pick-up arms associated with each opening, one pair being located in each of two diagonally opposite corners of the opening, and a force applying member mounted on the upper grid for reciprocal movement in a plane parallel to the grids for simultaneously actuating all of the pairs of pick-up arms.

It is also an object. of the invention to provide a bowling pin handling mechanism ofthe character described in the preceding paragraph including means for reciprocating the force-applying member and for locking the pick-up arms in pick-up positions so that the reactive force of the pins held by the pick-up arms is not transmitted back to .the. drive for the reciprocating means.

Other objects and advantages will. become readily apparent from the. following detailed description taken in connection with .the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pin handling mechanism embodying. my invention, the section being taken from front to rear of the pin handling mechanism, withthe front being shown at the left of the figure; and

t Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the pin handling mechanism illustrated in Fig 1, with the front of the mechanism being at the right of the. figure and the setting shoes and. pressure members omitted.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to. the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, the inventionis 'ernbodied in a'pin handling mechanism which includes a deck structure, generally designated10,of generally triangular plan configuration corresponding to the arrangement of pin spots on a bowling alley bed. The deck structure lll includes a plurality of pin cells arranged in a triangular pattern to correspond to the pattern: of pin' spots onthe bowling alley, four of thepin cells appearing in Fig. I,

. each being designated generally by the reference numeral 11. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the frontnf the deckstructur'e It), or the. apex of its triangular configuration, appears at the left of the figure. The deck structure 10 is adapted to be raised and lowered by means including a pair of identical. lever arms 12 which are rotatably mounted on stationary cross shafts 1'3. Adjacenththe cross shafts 13 the lever arms are provided with gear segments 14 which are meshed to-provide equal andsimultaneous movements of thelever, arms. The lever .arms 12 are connected attheir outer-extremities with connecting rods 15 each of which. ispivotally connected to lift'the pinsleftstandingto permit the 'alleyito be' clearedand toreplace thepins in the positions from which they'wereremovedywhether these positions 'beonspot or ofi-spotpositions. It'is with thelatterfun'ction,

that is, theflpickingup of.pins left'standing after a ball has been rolled; that this invention is. primarily concerned. Thedeckstructure ltlincludes a lower gridfo rmed of a plurality of transverselyextending angular-members -20 amass? and a plurality of longitudinally extending members 21 all rigidly interconnected and arranged in a grid-like pattern to form a plurality of rectangular pin openings 22 in the grid arranged to coincide With the pin spots on the alley bed, each of the rectangular openings forming a portion of one of the pin cells it. The deck structure it) also includes an upper grid comprised of a plurality of transversely extending angular members 23 and a plurality of longitudinally extending members, one of which is indicated at 24, the members 23 and 24 all being rigidly interconnected to form a plurality of openings in the upper grid, one associated with each of the pin cells 11 and disposed over the openings 22 in the lower grid. The upper grid and the lower grid are rigidly interconnected in spaced parallel relationship by means of vertically extending members such as those indicated at 25 in Fig. l and at 26 in Fig. 2. Associated with each of the openings in the upper grid is a pair of pivotally movable pin receiving and setting shoes 27 which form no part of the present invention except insofar as they are provided on the bottom with resilient pressure members 28 adapted to engage the top of a standing pin to securely hold the pin while it is engaged by the pin pick-up mechanism to be described. Inasmuch as the resilient pressure members 28 on the bottom of the shoes 27 do not cover the entire area in which pins may be left standing, the upper grid is provided also with stationary resilient pressure members 29 which supplement the pressure members 28 and together with the members 28 cover the entire area in which the pins may be standing.

As previously indicated, the present invention is concerned with means for picking up the pins left standing on the alley after a ball has been rolled. This means includes a plurality of scissors-type pick-up mechanisms, there being two mechanisms associated with each of the rectangular openings 22 in the lower grid, one mechanism being mounted in each of two diagonally opposite corners of the opening. As illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the front of the deck structure is to the right of the figure, one scissors mechanism is mounted in the left front corner of the opening 22 (when facing the pinsetter from the right of Fig. 2) and the other in the right rear corner of the opening, so that the two pairs of pick-up arms of the two mechanisms provide a complete coverage of the area of the rectangular opening. The two scissors mechanisms however, may be mounted in the other diagonally opposite corners of the opening if this arrangement is found desirable, for example, to provide space for other operating mechanisms.

Inasmuch as the scissors mechanisms and the actuating mechanisms therefor are all substantially alike, except for features which will be pointed out, only one of the assemblies will be described in detail.

Referring now to the left front scissors mechanism seen in Fig. 2, it includes a pair of pin pick-up arms 31 and 32 which are rigidly connected to the lower ends of vertically extending tubular members 31a and 32a respectively. Adjacent the lower ends, the tubular members 31a and 32a are provided with mounting brackets 31b and 32b respectively (Fig. 1) which are pivotally mounted on a vertically extending pivot rod 34 having its lower and upper ends rigidly secured to the lower grid and the upper grid respectively. A spacer sleeve 35 (Fig. 1) encircling the pivot rod 34 supports the mounting brackets 31b and 32b. Adjacent the upper ends of the tubular members 31a and 32a, they are provided with upper mounting brackets 31c and 320 respectively, also pivotally mounted on the common pivot rod 34. The upper and lower grids and the rod 34 therefore constitute a frame for supporting the pickup arms. The upper mounting brackets 31c and 320 have operating extensions pivotally connected eccentrical- 1y of the rod 34 to operating links 31d and 32d respectively, by means of pivot pins 312 and 32e respectively. The other ends of the links 31d and 32d are connected respectively to opposite ends of an actuating lever 37 at 4 31 and 32 respectively. The mid-portion of the actuating lever 37 is pivotally mounted at 38 on a force applying member 39 in the form of a bar rigidly secured to a shiftable grid adapted to impart movement to the pin pick-up arms.

The shiftable grid is comprised of a plurality of transversely extending web-like members 41 which are rigidly secured to longitudinally extending rods 42, the rods 42 being slidably mounted in the transversely extending angle members 23 forming a part of the upper grid previously described. Thus, the frame formed by the upper and lower grids also supports the members 41. The transversely extending members 41 in the shiftable grid are formed with openings 43 (Fig. 1) associated with each of the pin cells 11 and adapted to permit the delivery of pins to the pin setting shoes 27. v p

The shiftable grid is adapted to be moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 by means to be described to impart movement to the force applying member 39, which movement is transmitted through the actuating lever 37 and the links 31a and 32d to spread the operating extensions of the mounting brackets 31c and 320 associated with the pin pick-up arms. This results in transmitting a scissors action to the pin pick-up arms 31 and 32, moving the arms to parallel positions closing on the neck of the standing pin, as illustrated by the broken line showing of the arms in Fig. 2. The force applying member 39 is moved through a distance such that bodily movement of the actuating lever 37 with the force applying member 39 transmits equal converging movements to the pick-up arms 31 and 32 to parallel positions to close on an on-spot pin such as that illustrated in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the links 31d and 32d are of equal length, and the distance from the pivot axis 38 to either of the pivotal connections 31f and 32 is the same, and the distance from the pivot axis 34 to either of the pivotal connections 31:: and 322 is the same and equal to the distance from the pivot axis 38 to the pivotal connections 31 and 32), the above described movement of the force applying member and actuating member is sufiicient to form the linkage mechanism into a parallelogram. The pivotal connection of the actuating lever 37 to the force applying member 39 permits pivotal movement of the parallelogram about the two axes 38 and 34 so that unequal converging movements of the pick-up arms 31 and 32 may occur, thus permitting movement of the arms to parallel positions to close on an off-spot pin, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Pivotal movement of the actuating lever 37 about its pivot axis 38 occurs when one of the arms, 32 in the left front mechanism of Fig. 2, first engages an off-spot pin. Thereafter there occurs a com- 'bined bodily movement of the actuating lever 37 and pivotal movement of the lever 37 about its axis 38.

Inasmuch as the scissors mechanism just described is located in a front corner of the pin cell in the deck structure, its actuating connection is at the rear.- Inasmuch as the other scissors mechanism associated with the pin cell is located in a rear corner, its actuating connection is located forwardly thereof. This results in the left front scissors mechanism being operated as a push type, while the right rear mechanism is operated as a pull type. Consequently, the operating extensions of the upper mounting brackets 31c and 32c associated with the right rear scissors mechanism are differently shaped than the operating extensions associated with the left front mechanism. Two pairs of pick-up arms are associated with each of the pin cells in order to provide complete coverage of the rectangular opening provided in the lower grid. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 2, in a large area of the rectangular open ings, the pairs of pick-up arms have overlapping coverage. Thus, it is necessary that one pair of the arms be mounted slightly lower than the other pair of arms to avoid interference in their operation. In all respects other than those referred to, the scissors mechanism associated with the right rear corner in Fig. 2 is the same as that described in the left front corner.

mechanism is provided.

In order to impartrecipro'cal' movement to the shiftable deck for actuating the pin pick-up arms, a single actuating v This mechanism includes a crankshaft 50 (Fig. 1) rotatably supported in bearings 49 carried by the stationary upper'grid. The crankshaft 50 is provided withan eccentric'crank pin "51 on which a connecting rod 52 is pivotally mounted. The connecting rod,

at its other end, is pivotally connected at'53 to a bracket with a'gearSS ontheshaft. Inasmuchas each of the force applying members 39 associatedwith the scissors mechanisms is secured to the shiftable grid, movement of the grid is efiective to operate all the pick-up arms. The eccentricity of the axis of thecra'nk pinSl relative to the axis of the crank shaftSOis equal to one-half the required movement of the shiftable grid to actuate'the pick in arms. Thus, rotation of the shaft 50 through one-hair revolution from the position shownuin the drawing will move the crank pin to adiametrically: opposite position, wherein the axis of the crank pin, the axis of the shaft 50, and the axis of the pivotal mounting 53 are all in line. This alignment of the axes serves to lock the linkage, thus preventing the force, created by the pins hanging from the pick-up arms 31 and 32, from being transmitted back to the gear 55 and the driving mechanism which may be associated with the gear 55.

I claim:

1. In a pin pick-up mechanism, a deck structure including a frame fixed relative to the deck, a pair of pin pick-up arms pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about a common axis, a first link pivotally connected to one of said arms, a second link pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a force applying member movably mounted on the frame, and an actuating member pivotally connected to the links and pivotally mounted on the force applying member for movement with and relative to the force applying member, so that movement of the force applying member is transmitted through the actuating member and said links to effect pivotal movement of the pin pick-up arms about their common axis.

2. In a pin handling mechanism, a deck, a pair of pin pick-up arms pivotally mounted on the deck for movement about a common axis normal to the plane of the deck, a first link having one end pivotally connected to one or" said arms, a second link having one end pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a force applying member mounted on the deck for movement in a plane parallel to the deck, and an actuating member pivotally connected to the force applying member for bodily movement thereby and for pivotal movement thereon about an axis normal to the plane of the deck, the actuating member being pivotally connected to the free ends of the links so that motion of the force applying member is transmitted through the actuating member and said links to effect pivotal move ment of the pick-up arms.

3. A pin pick-up mechanism comprising, a deck having an opening therethrough adapted to surround a bowling pin, a pair of pin pick-up arms pivotally mounted on the deck adjacent the opening for movement about a common axis normal to the plane of the deck between inactive positions in which the pick-up arms clear the opening in the deck and pin pick-up positions in which the arms are parallel, a first link having one end pivotally connected to one of said arms, a second link having one end pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a force applying member mounted on the deck for movement in a plane parallel to the deck, and an actuating member pivotally connected to the force applying member for bodily movement thereby and for pivotal movement thereon about an axis normal to the plane of the deck, the actuating member being pivotally connected to the free ends of said links to effect pivotal movement of the pin pick-up arms between the inactive and pin pick-up positions, the arrangement of said links and actuating member being such that bodily movement of the actuating member effects equal "converging movements of the pick-up'arms about their common axis to close on a'pin centrally located-within' said opening in an on-spot position and thepivotalmounting'of theactuating member permits unequal converginymovements of the arms to close on a pin inan off-spot position.

'4, In a pin pick-up mechanism, adeck, apair'of pin pick-up arms pivotally mounted on the deck fo r movement about a common axis normal to the plane of the deck a first link having one end pivotally connected to one of said arms eccentrically of said common axis, a second link having one end pivotally connected to the other of said arms "eccentrically of said common axis, a force applying 'memher mounted on the deck for translatable movement back and forth in a plane parallel to the deck, and a lever having 'its mid-portion pivotally'mounted. on the force applying member for bodily movement thereby andfor pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis normal to the *plane of the deck, said linksextending'in generally parallel directions from said arms toward said lever'and having their free ends pivotally connected respectively to opposite ends of said lever so that motion of the force applying -memberis transmitted through said lever andsaid links to effect pivotal movement of thepick-up arms.

5. A pin pick-up mechanism comprising, a deck having an opening therethrough adapted to surround a bowling pin, a pair of pin pick-up arms pivotally mounted on the deck adjacent the opening for movement about a common axis normal to the plane of the deck between inactive diverging positions in which the pick-up arms clear the opening in the deck and pin pick-up positions in which the arms are parallel, first and second links of equal length, the first link having one end pivotally connected to one of said arms eccentrically of said common axis, and the second link having one end pivotally connected to the other of said arms eccentrically of said common axis at a distance equal to the eccentricity of the pivotal connection of the first link and said one arm relative to said common axis, a force applying member mounted on the deck for reciprocal movement in a plane parallel to the deck, and an actuating lever having its mid-portion pivotally mounted on the force applying member for bodily movement thereby and for pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis normal to the plane of the deck, said actuating lever having one end pivotally connected to the free end of said first link and having its other end pivotally connected to the free end of the second link, the distance from the pivotal mounting of said actuating lever to either of its pivotal connections with said links being equal to the eccentricity of the pivotal connections between said arms and links relative to said common axis, whereby bodily movement of the actuating lever by the force applying member effects equal converging movements of the pick-up arms about their common axis to close on a pin centrally disposed within said opening on a radius extending from said common axis through an on-spot position, and whereby the pivotal mounting of said actuating lever' permits unequal converging movements of the pick-up arms to close on a pin within said opening in other, off-spot positions.

6. In a bowling pin handling mechanism for picking up and replacing bowling pins in on-spot or ofi-spot positions on a bowling alley, a deck structure comprising a lower grid, an upper grid, means rigidly connecting the upper and lower grids in spaced parallel relationship, means defining a plurality of rectangular pin openings in the lower grid, a plurality of pressure members supported on the upper grid over the pin openings in the lower grid to engage the tops of pins standing on the alley bed, a. plurality of pairs of scissors-type pin pick-up arms associated with the openings in the lower grid, there being two pairs of pick-up arms for each opening, the two pairs of pick-up arms for each opening being associated respectively with diagonally opposite corners of the opening, each of the pick-up arms in a pair being pivotally mounted ads jacent the associated opening for movement about a common axis normal to the planes of the grids between inactive diverging positions along adjacent sides of the opening and pin pick-up positions in which the arms are parallel, each pair of pick-up arms having associated therewith a first link having one end pivotally connected to one of the arms eccentrically of said common axis, a second link having one end pivotally connected to the other of the arms eccentrically of said common axis, and an actuating lever having its opposite ends connected respectively to the free ends of said links, a force applying member common to all of said pairs of pick-up arms mounted on said upper grid for reciprocal movement in a plane parallel to the planes of the grids, each of said actuating levers having its mid-portion pivotally mounted on the force applying member for bodily movement thereby and for pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis normal to the planes of the grids so that bodily movement of the actuating member effects equal converging movements of the pick-up arms about their common axis to close on an on-spot pin and the pivotal mounting of the actuating member on the force applying member permits unequal converging movements of the pick-up arms to close on an otT-spot pin.

7. The structure defined in claim 6, including means for reciprocating said force applying member, comprising, a crank shaft rotatably supported on the upper grid having an eccentric crank pin, a connecting rod having one end pivotally mounted on the crank pin and having the other end pivotally connected to the force applying member, means for rotating said shaft to move the pickup arms to pin pick-up positions wherein the axis of the crank pin, the axis of the crank shaft, and the axis of the pivotal connection of said connecting rod to the force applying member are all in line so that the force of the pins held by the pick-up arms is not transmitted back to said means for rotating the crank shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,060 Moss Mar. 9, 1926 1,612,867 Hedenskoog Jan. 4, 1927 2,616,693 Montooth Nov. 4, 1952 2,697,605 Montooth et al Dec. 21, 1954 

